My lunch

I just thought I would take a picture of the typical lunch that I get at the hospital.  Each meal is always beautifully presented and very fresh -- although they serve too many croissants and not enough protein in the mornings.  Yet another reason why it's nicer to have a baby in Switzerland.  I've never seen food like this at U.S. hospitals.  Maybe Obamacare will bring better food to U.S. hospitals.

Happy Easter!

Also, here is the view out my window.  It overlooks Lake Geneva and the French alps.  The weather has been pretty nasty, even though it is supposed to be spring.  Today we finally have sun!

Here is my sweet little Thomas.  I love it when babies sleep like this, with their little arms hanging down and relaxed.  I think I will get through the next through sleepless months by telling myself that I need to enjoy these precious moments because this is the last time I will have an infant.

Introducing Thomas Robert Woolley

We are thrilled to announce the birth of 

Thomas Robert Woolley

Born: March 28, 2013, 5:12 p.m.

Lausanne, Switzerland

Weight: 4 kg (8 pds, 13 oz)

Length: 52 cm (20.5 in)

We feel extremely blessed by the arrival of our fifth child and we are so glad he is here.  Thomas is the name of his 6th great grandfather, the first Woolley ancestor that we can trace, and the great grandfather of Edwin D. Woolley.  Robert comes from Rob, of course, but also from Rob's grandfather, Grandpa Bob Madden.  Also, one may say that the name Robert comes from me too.  After all, I was named after my Aunt Roberta who was named after my grandfather's twin brother Robert.  It all comes full circle!

The kids are so excited to have a new little brother.  Natasha has been running around singing the Dora song, "I'm gonna be a BIG sister!"  Tyler is ecstatic to have another boy in the family.  Anna Claire and Mariah are turning out to be big helpers.  Best quotes of the kids regarding the new baby:

Natasha: "Ooooh! His skin is so soft!"

Tyler: "I still don't understand why he wasn't born with his clothes on! 

Maybe because of all that blood."

Mariah: "Mom, it looks like you still have another baby in your tummy."

Natasha: "His eyes are funny. They look like this. . ." She scrunches her eyes up.

Tyler, after Mommy explained that Natasha should not hit the baby, but protect him: "Natasha is going to be the Protector and I'm going to be the Saver.  I have my sword."

Here are lots of photos to look through:

 Baby Thomas' first picture.

Thomas and Mom are exhausted after a long labor and birth.  I was induced and I thought everything would be nice once the epidural kicked in.  Unfortunately, the epidural did not work even after multiple attempts by the anesthesiologist.  (Why didn't someone tell me that could happen?)  I ended up giving birth without anesthesia, but NOT by choice.  Why people actually choose that is beyond my comprehension.

Thomas poses for a picture.  We think he looks like a cross between Anna Claire and Tyler at birth.

A proud daddy with his son.

"Let me see!" "Me too!"  The kids crowd in to get a glimpse of their new brother.

"I'm a BIG sister now!"

Mariah is thrilled to hold Baby Thomas while Tyler tries to shush him.

Anna Claire, the biggest sister and my big helper.

Mariah's a big helper too!

"Yes!  I've finally got a brother!"

"I can hold the baby too, Mommy!"

It's boy time!

Kari with little Thomas.

  I couldn't do without her.  She has been an ENORMOUS help during this pregnancy and it was so nice to have someone I could trust to watch the kids during the birth.  (Especially because my mom is not here this time.  Margaret is due with her fifth child any day now so she is needed there.)

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Okay, so I know that this is definitely not a holiday in Switzerland, but it's still fun to do everything green.  I promised the kids I'd make them green pancakes for breakfast, so that's what I did.  I don't have any Irish heritage, but the kids do.  Rob's grandfather comes from Irish blood (O'Madden).  They came over during one of the potato famines.  It was a nice chance to give the kids a little history/ancestry lesson.

Green pancakes coming right up!

Natasha and her owie

Natasha fell while she was climbing the table last night and split open her head in the back.  I had to take her to the emergency room to get stitches.  Because the wound was on the back of her head, it was hard to bandage it, so we ended up wrapping something all around her head.  She looked hilarious -- like a wounded civil war officer with golden curly hair, plus kittycat pajamas and pink boots.  Fortunately, the cut is in the back of her head so the scar won't show.  I hope she learned her lesson.

My little wounded sweetie.

Too much candy

Tyler told me today, "Mom, I don't really think you have a baby in your tummy. . . I just think you ate too much candy."    At least he has learned the connection between sugar and weight gain.  Maybe this baby bump really is 50 pounds of candy!

España: Valencia

Another highlight of our trip was going to Valencia.  After stopping at church along the way, we headed to this fascinating city.  I could definitely live here.  Spanish, good weather all year round, beautiful parks and fabulous museums.  

Here we are at the City of Arts and Sciences.  The architecture is incredible and the place is full of various museums. 

Anna and Mariah at the Science Museum.  We came here because this was the cheapest of all the attractions, but it's perfect for kids.

Natasha swinging in Spiderman's lair.

One of the best displays was the Superhero exhibit where kids got to understand some of the "science" behind superheros.  This is supposed to be a giant brick that makes you the size of a spider and shows how spiders use tiny grooves to climb walls.

Help!  It's the Incredible Hulk!

I took Mariah, Tyler and Natasha into the construction zone.  It is cleverly outfitted with soft bricks with which they lift, cart and build structures.

Natasha, the construction worker who was more fascinated with the water exhibit.

Mariah leading construction on the building.  I was amazed at how the kids (even though total strangers) naturally started cooperating with each other to get things done.  What does that say about human nature?

Gulliver's Park.  This is one of the most interesting play structures I have ever seen.  Valencia rerouted the river that used to run through the town (to control flooding).  In its place, it created a giant green space filled with paths and playgrounds (Valencia's version of Central Park).  This play structure is just one of many, but so creative.  It is a giant Gulliver tied down with ropes and filled with all sorts of slides and crevices.  The kids who play on it are the Lilliputians!

 Mariah standing by Gulliver's "hair".

Natasha and Mommy standing just above Gulliver's chest (see his lace blouse).

 The kids could have spent hours here.

Mariah navigating Gulliver's blouse.

Climbing through Gulliver's hand.

 Mariah and Tyler climbing Gulliver's sword.

Goodbye Valencia!

España: Mundomar

One of the highlights of our trip has been the trip to Mundomar.  Basically, it's a mini SeaWorld with lots of animals and shows.  We saw three shows, the dolphin show, the parrot show and the sea lion show.  Because it is wintertime, the place was not too crowded and the kids were able to interact with lots of animals.  They got to kiss sea lions, hold parrots and pet lemurs, see meerkats (just like the one in Lion King).  

The dolphin show was fantastic.  Even Kari said it was better than what she had seen at Sea World.

 Tyler riding the merry-go-round.

At the parrot show.  The parrots kept flying right over our heads.  "Hola!" was their favorite phrase.

Mariah hugging the giant parrot.

"Swing me, Daddy, swing me!"

Playing the African drums.

"Wheeeee!"

"Ziiiip!"

Mariah getting friendly with a sea lion.

Anna too.

Happy times!

Anna petting lemurs.

Mariah too!

Anna, Tyler and Mariah with the parrots.